SANE
SANE is a national mental health charity which aims to raise awareness of mental illness and campaign to improve services and initiate and fund research into the causes of serious mental illness through its research centre.
Information and emotional support is also provided to anyone affected by mental illness via the helpline, SANEline and by email, via SANEmail.
SANEline (0845 767 8000) is the national, out-of-hours telephone helpline for anyone affected by mental health problems, including carers, friends and family. It is open from 6pm - 11pm everyday, including bank holidays.
SANEmail (sanemail@sane.org.uk) runs alongside SANE's helpline, SANEline, to provide an additional channel of support to those affected by mental health issues. In particular, the service aims to support young people who are affected by mental health problems and may feel more comfortable using this support medium than the helpline. SANEmail also aims to support those who cannot get through to SANEline and those with a physical disability or mental illness that prevents them from using the helpline.
Emails received by the service are responded to within five working days during the hours of 9.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday.
SANE is a UK-wide charity established in 1986 to improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness, SANE works in three ways:
Raising awareness
SANE campaigns to combat stigma and ignorance and improve care, giving nearly 400 interviews each year on national and local television and radio, generating hundreds of column inches in the press and participating in government and professional initiatives.
Major concerns highlighted by SANE have been the prevention of suicide and self-harm, the improverishment of psychiatric wards and services, the need for a better balance between rights in mental health law, and the link between cannabis and psychosis.
SANE's Art Awards have encouraged nearly 200 artists and writers with serious mental illness to explore their creative ability.
Undertaking research
In 2003 SANE opened The Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research in Oxford. Under the guidance of Professor Tim Crow the centre aims to establish the causes of and better treatments for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and to act as an international forum, disseminating education, awareness and information to other scientists and the public.
Providing help
SANE's national telephone helpline, SANEline, was set up in 1992. SANEline volunteers currently handle an average of over 2000 calls every month from men, women and children affected by mental health problems as well as their carers and health professionals.
SANE's vision is to use its proven helpline expertise to reach many more people affected by mental illness, their families and friends and in 2007 SANEmail was launched. This new email support service provides vital online support to people who may find talking about their mental health problems difficult, or who perhaps can't use the phone because of a disability.
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